About the job

Job summary

Acting as an internal consultancy to all of the Civil Service, we collaborate with government departments, functions and professions to develop and deliver high quality, customer-focused assessment products and solutions grounded in occupational psychology and psychometrics. Our services aim to help identify and develop the best people from all backgrounds, including the Civil Service’s prestigious talent programmes. 

We also place ourselves at the forefront of assessment innovation, and are actively creating a growing range of evidence-based psychological assessment tools.

You will be joining a high performing multi-disciplinary team of occupational psychologists, psychometricians and digital experts who use evidence-based practice to put the client and user at the heart of what they do.  We are a team that embraces innovation to deliver better results, improved efficiency and added value, with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

If you are passionate about applying psychology and psychometrics in the workplace to really add value across a wide and varied agenda, then we really want to hear from you!

Job description

As Senior Occupational Psychologist you will work closely with the Head of the Occupational Psychology Service to provide thought leadership in the areas of selection and assessment for the Civil Service. 

You will play a critical role in supporting the design, development, trialling and evaluation of a suite of online tests used for recruitment and talent selection in the Civil Service.  You will also provide support and advice for clients to ensure best practice use of assessments and create guidance to support candidates through their testing journey.  

You will have the opportunity to lead on psychological and insight-led research projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the wider recruitment context and better enable the Occupational Psychology Service to make evidence-based decisions. 

You will act as a subject matter expert and represent the Occupational Psychology Service professionally with a wide range of customers and stakeholders.  You will also be expected to contribute to the development of professional practice and work collaboratively with colleagues on a wider portfolio of activities when the need arises.  

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

Psychological Assessment at Work

• Scoping and designing bespoke assessment solutions including: psychometric tests, situational judgement questionnaires and other evidence-based sifting tools, behavioural work sample simulations, assessment centres and interviews.
• Using online assessment platforms to implement and support delivery of assessment solutions; working with digital, data assurance and diversity colleagues to ensure new assessments are compliant, fair, and meet customer and user needs.
• Managing multiple assessment projects at all stages of the consultancy cycle.
• Working with customers to ensure best practice use of assessments to support client decision making including pass-mark setting, moderation processes, and reducing risk of adverse impact. 
• Evaluating the effectiveness of assessment solutions by identifying appropriate statistical methods/techniques and interrogation of data to ensure they are robust, fair, reliable and valid (e.g. predictive validity, adverse impact analysis).

Leadership, Engagement and Motivation

• Act as a subject matter expert providing expert advice on recruitment, use of assessments and wider Occupational Psychology areas.
• Keep up-to-date with the latest innovations in assessments, psychometrics, modern testing methods and in particular recruitment testing
• Line management of one trainee psychologist may be required

Providing expert advice and research

• Providing professional occupational psychology advice and guidance to clients and senior leaders to ensure adherence to industry best practice and the highest ethical standards.
• Providing occupational psychologist support for information gathering exercises such as surveys and focus groups, and providing activities to support organisational development. 
• Representing the Occupational Psychology profession at working groups, committees and other forums across government to inform policy and operations.
• Researching new and emerging assessment methods/processes; setting up and conducting detailed studies to explore their impact and efficacy. 

Person specification

In order to be successful in this role you will have:

• Have strong communication skills (both verbal and written) and be able to explain complex information so others can easily understand;
• Be able to manage and prioritise your workload to meet changing demands and delivery targets;
• Be effective in building and maintaining relationships, both with clients and colleagues;
• Be proactive, taking ownership and accountability for decisions and commitments;
• Be creative, producing new and original ideas and creating things in novel and imaginative ways; 
• Demonstrate persistence, achieving success by delivering despite obstacles or difficulties. 
• Experience in the application of occupational psychology in recruitment, selection and assessment. 
• Knowledge of psychometrics and competence in statistical analysis (including the use of SPSS)

You’ll be reporting directly to the Head of OPS (Grade 6).  You will work with a variety of clients, departments and professions across government. You will need to be able to demonstrate flexibility, the ability to deliver at pace and be someone who your team can really rely on.

You’ll need to demonstrate real passion for applying psychometric expertise, occupational psychology theories and approaches and evidence-based practice. Finally, we are a forward-looking team and so you will need to be too. You’ll embrace change and be eager to learn from it to develop and strengthen your role.

Do you see yourself as a talented individual that can achieve all this, progressing yourself and our team to the next level?

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this post, all stages of the application process must be completed by no later than 23.55 on 23/01/2024.

Stage 1

Complete basic personal details

Stage 2

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test and, if you pass the test, the Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass both tests, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23.55 on 23/01/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Stage 3

If you pass the tests you will then automatically be invited to submit a full application form which includes:

1. A CV section setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements along with details of any relevant qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years; and
2. A personal statement (no longer than 1000 words total) outlining how you meet the requirements of the role as set out in the person specification provided.

You must complete all stages 1 to 3 before 23.55 on 23/01/2024.

Interview

Candidates demonstrating the best fit for the role will be invited to attend a panel interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Technical skills.

The interview will also include a presentation. Further details will be provided to candidates who are shortlisted in due course.

Further Information

Suitable candidates will need to have BPSS clearance, and be willing to undergo National Security Vetting if the requirements of the role justify holding a higher clearance.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via appointablecandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 
• Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.